In the prior art devices are known which are frequently called post processing devices and which are constructed to receive printed sheets from a printer or copier, assemble the sheets into a set, finish or staple the sets, and then discharge the sets from the finishing station to a stacker which automatically stacks the finished sets.
Such devices typically involve a fairly large footprint to accommodate the floor space occupied by the apparatus for receiving the sheets from the sheet producing machine as well as the stacking apparatus.
Examples of such prior art are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,157 dated Sep. 12, 1995 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,639,079 dated Jun. 17, 1997.
Also, it is known in the prior art to apply various kinds of binding strips or adhesive material to the edge of assembled sets of sheets during the printing processes, wherein sets of sheets are collected, thermally bound and then ejected from the binding station to a suitable receiver.
An example of the prior art related to such binding apparatus is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,358 dated Sep. 29, 1970.
Desktop thermal binding devices are also extant, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. 3,518,143 dated Jun. 30, 1970 in which a set of sheets can be manually assembled and placed into an apparatus for edge binding with a thermo-plastic foil applied to the set of sheets with the application of manually operated pressure applying means.
Also, there is extant, a desktop or manually operated thermal binder which has a heater assembly into which an L shaped adhesive binding strip may be manually inserted, a set of sheets manually placed into the corner of the L shaped binding strip and the long side of the L shaped strip, then folded against the off side of the set during the application of heat and manually operated pressure application.
An example of a disclosure of a kind of shutter mechanism in which a pair of horizontally opposed support plates are moved laterally to allow a set of sheets supported thereon to drop downwardly is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,050 dated Nov. 28, 1995.
Numerous examples of apparatus for receiving sets of sheets, jogging the sheets into a neat stack and moving the stack into a stapler can be found, including, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,566 dated Feb. 3, 1998, co-owned herewith.
With the foregoing in mind, the present invention has, as an object, the provision of a relatively compact apparatus which may be applied to the sheet output from a sheet copying or printing machine to receive from the copying or printing machine successive sheets which are accumulated or assembled in a tray for binding or a tray for stapling, in which the bound or stapled sets are downwardly discharged from the respective assembling stations, which are positioned one above the other and above a stacker, so that the overall apparatus occupies a minimum of horizontal footprint.
More particularly, the apparatus is contemplated to automatically apply binding strips in a binding station at which heat and pressure are automatically applied to the binding strips to adhesively secure the sheets in an integrated set, and wherein, in the event that binding is not desired. The accumulated set may be discharged vertically to a second treating station for stapling or,if desired, for punching, and still further, the finally treated set is discharged vertically to a vertically adjustable stacker tray adapted to receive the desired number of sets.
Additionally, at the second set treating station, if desired, the stapled sets or the bound sets may be laterally offset to facilitate set separation from the stacker tray.
It is contemplated that the binding and stapling stations may be disposed one over the other, but in the specific form herein shown and described, the binding station is above the stapling station.
Still further, it is contemplated that a finishing machine of small size may be provided which consists of only one finishing station, either a binding or a stapling station, by elimination of one of the stations and providing for stacking of the sets so finished, by opening the receiving and assembling tray parts at said one station and allowing downward movement of the set to the stacker.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described or will become apparent to those skilled in the art.